SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 2023
Weekend Reading
Dear John,
All young people should have the chance to live their lives fully and pursue their dreams. But far too often, systems of racial injustice, gun violence, and poverty limit their opportunities. In Minnesota, AFSC’s Healing Justice Program is working with youth to transform these systems and explore possibilities. “Young people witness a lot of their peers being gone before they even see the slightest of their dreams manifest—we want to change that,” says AFSC’s Brynne Crockett. Read more. [link removed]
Here are this week's picks to inform and support your activism:
Take action: End felony disenfranchisement!: [link removed] The 2024 elections are already getting lots of attention. But today, 4.6 million people in the U.S. are denied their right to vote because they have felony convictions. They are disproportionately Black and Brown people. It’s time to end this injustice. Contact your governor today and urge them to restore voting rights for all!
Venezuelans, Nicaraguans ask for protected immigration status: [link removed] The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program provides protection from deportation to people from certain countries afflicted by natural disasters, conflict, and other dangers. Today, AFSC and others are urging the Biden administration to expand TPS for more immigrants from Nicaragua and Venezuela—two countries facing extraordinary conditions. AFSC’s Bertha Sanles, a native of Nicaragua, shared how TPS could make a difference for her family. “My story is the story of thousands of families living for decades in this country,” she said. (CBS News Miami)
Free period products now required in New Hampshire prisons, jails: [link removed] New Hampshire has a new law to ensure people in state prisons and county jails have access to free period products. In this story, AFSC’s Ophelia Burnett talks about how difficult it was for her to get the products she needed while in prison. It “comes down to human dignity," she said. (WMUR)
Celebrating another year of art and activism: [link removed] As part of AFSC’s ArteVism Fellowship Program, youth of color in California’s Central Valley create provocative programming to advocate for social change. Last month, this year’s fellows and interns concluded their program with a community celebration. Through interactive displays, they highlighted struggles and resistance in their communities.
Listen to the “Quakers Today” podcast: [link removed] AFSC is sponsoring season two of the “Quakers Today” podcast, a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. The program features musicians, writers, and others who seek wisdom and understanding in a changing world. This latest episode explores Quaker worship as it relates to nature; Quakerism and LGBTQ identity; and more. Friends were also asked to call in and respond to the question “What was a time when you rebelled and why?” Listen to hear more. (Friends Journal).
Special thanks to our monthly donors, our Partners for Peace, for their ongoing support to make all our work possible.
American Friends Service Committee
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Philadelphia, PA 19102
United States
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